The invention relates to a cart, system, and method of compacting fan folded business forms by causing them to stand on end, in line, so that capacity can be maximized and the operator need not constantly intervene in the process because a forms conveyor is full.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of compacting continuous business forms utilizing a movable cart with a forms backstop mounted thereon. The method comprises the steps of: (a) Folding the forms along fold lines. (b) Transporting the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed. (c) Physically engaging the forms being transported in the first direction at the first speed, and significantly slowing down their transport in the first direction to a second speed, lower than the first speed, so that the forms stand substantially upright on a folded edge. (d) Pushing the substantially upright forms in the first direction at the second speed into operative engagement with the forms backstop located on the movable cart so that the forms are compacted. And, (e) once the movable cart is full of compacted forms, terminating feed of forms onto it, and replacing it with an empty cart. A mail infeed unit, or like piece of forms utilization equipment, may be employed to act on the folded forms, in which case the method comprises the further steps of: (f) Moving the full cart from step (e) into operative association with the forms utilization unit. And then, (g) feeding continuous forms from the cart to the form utilization unit. Further, after step (e) the main surface of the cart is tilted so that a first end thereof is substantially higher than the opposite end, and steps (f) and (g) are then practiced so that the forms are fed from the first, higher, end of the cart to the forms utilization unit.
The cart according to the invention comprises: A forms backstop having a bottom surface, and a top. A cart main surface for supporting compacted forms thereon, having a periphery and having means for providing appropriate frictional engagement with the forms backstop bottom surface and forms, while the backstop top extends upwardly above the main surface, to facilitate compacting of forms. Wall means upstanding from the main surface around at least part of the periphery thereof, and defining at least one openable end for receipt of forms. And, a plurality of legs supporting the main surface, with roller means at the bottoms of the legs.
The frictional engagement providing means of the cart may comprise a plurality of lugged belts movable along the main surface with low friction portions of the main surface disposed under the belts, or the surface may be a corrugated aluminum surface. The forms backstop is generally triangular in shape with a forwardly extending lip from the bottom surface thereof and a handle adjacent the top thereof. The bottom surface may have at least a portion thereof formed of a lubricant impregnated material to facilitate sliding action--without binding--along the main surface. The main surface is mounted for tilting action about a horizontally extending shaft disposed below the main surface, and a spring loaded detent is provided for holding the main surface into a position to which it has been tilted, e.g. about 30.degree. from horizontal.
A system according to the invention, which employs the cart as forth above, comprises: A folder for folding the continuous business forms along fold lines, and for conveying the folded forms in a first direction at a first speed. Conveying means for conveying forms received thereby in the first direction at a second speed, slower than the first speed. Means for mounting the conveying means adjacent the folder so that folded forms discharged by the folder are received by the conveying means. A movable cart having a main surface, and wall means upstanding from the main surface and defining a first, openable, end, the main surface for receipt of forms discharged by the conveying means. A forms backstop movable along the main surface in response to forms stacking thereagainst. And, means for mounting the main surface adjacent the conveying means so that forms discharged by the conveying means compact on the forms backstop.
Preferably means are also provided for sensing when the cart is full of forms and for operating a human perceptible device (e.g. an alarm, or terminating operation of the folder) in response to the full-cart sensing. The cart may have a second end defined by an end wall, opposite the first end, and the sensing means may comprise means mounted on the folder for emitting and sensing electromagnetic radiation, and reflective means mounted on the second end wall below the top of the forms backstop, but in position to receive a beam of radiation emitted by the emitting and sensing means and to reflect it back to the emitting and sensing means except when the beam of radiation is interrupted by the forms backstop (indicating that the cart is full of forms).
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for effective compacting of folded continuous business forms so that they may be readily utilized in subsequent operations. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.